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A man who has been banned from keeping horses for a decade claims he was duped into taking on an animal that was in a bad way by someone who didn’t want to pay for it to be put out of its suffering.

Philip Jones said he came into the possession of one horse after a man with two of them on a trailer broke down near his brother’s farm. As there were stables there, the man asked if he could leave one of the horses behind.

He gave a name and a phone number and said he would come back when the trailer was fixed and pick up the horses, and Mr Jones agreed.

When Mr Jones checked he saw there was one digit missing from the phone number. The man never returned. and Mr Jones says he ended up calling the vet himself to have the poor animal put down.

Mr Jones, of Erw Las, Pwll Glas, Ruthin , said: “I think he shafted me, as he knew the horse was in a bad way and didn’t want to pay the £300 vet’s bill to put the horse down which I’ve been left with.”

He said when the RSPCA came with the vet, they saw Mr Jones’ own horse Billy in a nearby stable and noticed that his hooves were overgrown and decided he needed to be taken away as well.

Mr Jones added: “The RSPCA turned up with the vet, and the horse was put down. But then they saw my horse Billy in the next stable.

“His hooves were overgrown but until three days before he had been living as a companion of a horse in Anglesey.

“Billy had lived on a farm in Anglesey for a year and a half, but as the woman who was looking after him was seriously ill with cancer her daughter asked if I could go and pick up Billy.

“His hooves were overgrown but when I got back home to Pwll Glass I booked for the farrier to come that same week.

“When Billy arrived home his hooves didn’t seem to be bothering him, he had a run around the field as he was glad to be home.

Philip Jones has been banned from keeping horses for 10 years

“I put a salt poultice on his hooves in order to clean them out before they were trimmed, so they probably were a little tender.”

But the RSPCA inspector was shocked to see the state of Billy’s overgrown hooves and told Philip the horse needed to be taken away.

Mr Jones, who has kept animals for 50 years, added: “The inspector then told me they had nowhere for the horse to go and so it had to be put down. I argued with him about this as Billy who I’d had since he was a foal, was perfectly fine apart from his hooves which I was getting fixed that same week.

“But they said they couldn’t leave the horse with me, and I was adamant they weren’t taking him away so they put him down and Billy died in my arms.

“I felt as if I had no choice and was devastated and couldn’t even drive home as Billy had been our horse for 16 years.”

Mr Jones' horse Billy was put down by vets when he called them about the welfare of another horse he claims had been left with him by a man who never returned to collect it

He added: “During the RSPCA investigation I refused to divulge the lady’s name and address where Billy had been staying in Anglesey, as I didn’t want her to get into trouble, she’s a very ill woman and I know what that means as my wife is recovering from bowel cancer.

“That’s why Billy went in the first place as Gwyneth needed my help so I couldn’t spend time with him. Being banned from keeping horses is not a problem as I had finished with them anyway, but what really hurts is the thought people will think I could be cruel to my horse.

Philip Jones says he was duped into taking a sick horse

“I pleaded guilty to the charges as I was given legal advice that if I did so I’d end up paying a smaller fine, rather than if I pleaded not guilty I’d pay no fine but could have ended up with £7,000 legal fees to pay.”

Mr Jones’ wife Gwyneth said: “All our friends and family who know my husband realise that he couldn’t ever be cruel to any animal, he’s a big softie.

“The fact that he wouldn’t tell the RSPCA where the woman in Anglesey lived shows how soft he is, he just doesn’t want to hurt her so he has paid the price.”

Gwyneth added: “We’ve been married for 40 years and I would never be married to someone who was cruel. Both of us suffer from health problems and I’m afraid to say mud sticks and we feel the RSPCA has been very heavy handed.”

An RSPCA spokesman said in a statement: “A guilty plea was given to the three offences of causing unnecessary suffering to two horses, at Wrexham Magistrates Court on 16 November, following an investigation by the RSPCA. Sadly, the two horses were put to sleep on independent veterinary advice, at the discretion of the owner.”